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The Government will spend some $20 million on a Solar Energy Project for the 2019/2020 fiscal year.

Details about the project are provided in the 2019/20 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives.

The anticipated targets for the 2019/20 fiscal year include retrofitting, upgrading and repairing of the structure of school roofs; the payment of fees to the Development Bank of Jamaica of approximately $15 million; the development of a Business Case; and seeking Cabinet’s approval to proceed to the transactional stage of the public-private partnership.

The Government will spend some $20 million on a Solar Energy Project for the 2019/2020 fiscal year.

Details about the project are provided in the 2019/20 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives.

The anticipated targets for the 2019/20 fiscal year include retrofitting, upgrading and repairing of the structure of school roofs; the payment of fees to the Development Bank of Jamaica of approximately $15 million; the development of a Business Case; and seeking Cabinet’s approval to proceed to the transactional stage of the public-private partnership.

Achievements of the project up to December 2018 include the completion of an energy audit; structural assessment of roofs of schools that are a part of the project; the commencement of renovation work at a number of schools in need of repairs; the recruitment of a project advisor; the recruitment of a transaction advisor; and the preparation of a Business Case.

The objectives of the Solar Energy Project are the provision of alternative energy (solar energy from photovoltaic systems) to schools in an effort to lessen the dependence on the Jamaica Public Service Limited; and reducing current electricity bills at project schools between 40 to 70 per cent.